Page 429 - Intro Predictive Maintenance

420 An Introduction to Predictive Maintenance

3. Determining the most effective way of attaining the objectives. Given the
present situation, what actions are necessary to reach the objectives?

Everyone follows these three steps in making personal plans; however, the supervi-
sor makes plans not for a single person, but for a group of people. This complicates
the process.

Organizing involves distributing the work among the employees in the work group
and arranging the work so that it flows smoothly. The supervisor carries out the work
of organizing through the general structure established by higher levels of manage-
ment. Thus, the supervisor functions within the general structure and is usually given
specific work assignments from higher levels of management. The supervisor then
sees that the specific work assignments are completed.

Staffing is concerned with obtaining and developing good people. Because supervi-
sors accomplish their work through others, staffing is an extremely important func-
tion. Unfortunately, first-line supervisors are usually not directly involved in hiring or
selecting work group members. Normally, higher levels of management make these
decisions; however, this does not remove the supervisor’s responsibility to develop an
effective workforce. Supervisor’s are, and should be, the primary source of skills train-
ing in any organization. Because they are in proximity with their work group members,
they are the logical source of on-the-job training and enforcement of universal
adherence to best practices.

Leading involves directing and channeling employee behavior toward accomplishing
work objectives. Because most supervisors are the best maintenance technicians or
operators, the normal tendency is to lead by doing rather than by leading. As a result,
the supervisor spends more time performing actual work assigned to the work group
than he or she does in management activities. This approach is counterproductive
in that it prevents the supervisor from accomplishing his or her primary duties. In
addition, it prevents workforce development. As long as the supervisor performs the
critical tasks assigned to the work group, none of its members will develop the
skills required to perform these recurring tasks.

Controlling determines how well the work is being done compared with what was
planned. This involves measuring actual performance against planned performance
and taking any necessary corrective actions.

An effective supervisor will spend most of each workday in the last two categories.
The supervisor must perform all of the functions to be effective, but most of his or
her time must be spent on the plant floor directly leading and controlling the work-
force. Unfortunately, this is not the case in many plants. Instead, the supervisor spends
most of a typical workday generating reports, sitting in endless meetings, and per-
forming a variety of other management tasks that prevent direct supervision of the
workforce.